On Thursday, a tense meeting took place at the White House, during which a conflict erupted between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and billionaire Elon Musk over the reduction of government employees.
According to The New York Times, citing sources, Musk sharply criticized Rubio for what he perceived as insufficient measures in cutting staff, while Rubio accused the businessman of an unthoughtful approach.
Rubio stated that he had already carried out significant cuts at the State Department and noted that over 1,500 employees had retired early. In response, Musk remarked that Rubio was “good on television,” implying his ineffectiveness in management.
Donald Trump remained a passive observer for some time but eventually sided with Rubio, stating that he was “doing a great job.” After the meeting, the U.S. president made it clear that ministers would now be responsible for staff reductions, while Musk’s team would only act as advisors.
Later, Trump posted on social media that the next phase of government workforce optimization would be carried out “with a scalpel, not an axe,” suggesting a more cautious approach compared to Musk’s radical methods.
Musk, who arrived at the meeting in a business suit after Trump criticized his usual casual appearance, defended his position by reminding everyone of his successful companies with multibillion-dollar valuations.
Later, Trump denied rumors of a serious rift between Musk and Rubio, stating that they “get along great.”
